1. Field of Invention
The invention generally relates to systems and methods for carrying and dispensing liquids. More particularly, the invention relates to a container and spike combination for holding and accessing a sealed flexible bag containing fluid and thereby allowing the dispensing of the fluid.
2. Description of Related Art
Fluid storage devices and dispensers are used in all sorts of human activities. In one embodiment they are used to transport beverages, particularly for human consumption, to locations where other means of obtaining beverages would be impossible or, at least, inconvenient. Commonly such a container will be filled with fluid and taken along in instances such as when a person travels for recreation, including going to an undeveloped area to hike, to a park for a picnic, to the beach, or to participate in or observe an athletic event. Principally, the containers are used to carry fluid for drinking to decrease the danger of dehydration and heat exhaustion and related injury when outdoors, and also merely for comfort when one becomes thirsty. Quite often the fluid storage device is designed to embody thermal insulating properties for maintaining the temperature of the fluid significantly above or below the ambient temperature.
In addition to personal uses such as those mentioned above, insulating fluid containers may have public uses. They may be used to sanitarily dispense beverages in food service establishments or the like, and therefore regularly are seen in concession stands, buffet lines, or similar types of locations where storage and dispensing of prepared drinks is desirable but where more permanent structures are not useable. Such containers are regularly filled with water and other fluids or drinks such as coffee, tea, soft drinks, fruit juices, or the like. Further, insulating fluid containers are not limited to carrying beverages but may also be used to transport non-potable fluids.
The insulating fluid containers described herein include those generally referred to by use of the terms “water cooler” or simply “cooler”, “water jug”, and “Thermos™”. For the purposes of this disclosure, the term “portable water cooler” is chosen since it is fairly descriptive of the device being discussed. A portable water cooler will generally be transportable by one or more persons without the assistance of machines, although some embodiments will require a machine to lift or carry (for instance the water cooler may be mounted on a large trailer). A portable water cooler will generally not be a system designed for purposeful use only in a single location, but a portable water cooler may be “built in” and adapted for single-location use. A portable water cooler generally serves as a storage container for the fluid there inside. That is, the fluid generally is not placed in the cooler from an external storage tank for the purpose of cooling or heating prior to dispensing. Also, a portable water cooler generally includes an integral spigot or valve for the dispensing of the liquid contained therein to a drinking container such as a cup or directly to a user's mouth. It is generally not intended that the fluid in the portable water cooler be dispensed to a storage reservoir from which it is then dispensed. The water cooler is generally constructed, in part, of an insulative material, or has a built-in cooling or heating system to control the temperature of its contents. Rubbermaid Corporation makes a variety of such portable water coolers. Devices such as the military's “water buffaloes” also fall within the scope of devices herein termed portable water coolers. A majority of portable water coolers used for fluid transport and dispensing are constructed with materials such as stainless steel, glass, and plastics, or some combination thereof, that give the portable water coolers a rigid form.
While there are many types of portable water coolers available in the market, many suffer from similar problems. A portable water cooler is generally in the shape of a hollow upright box or cylinder which encloses the fluid and prevents it from escaping the container. Fluid is generally added from above by removing the top panel of, or opening an access point in, the cooler and placing the fluid directly against the interior walls of the cooler inside the hollow interior. The lid or a cap is then replaced. In some portable water coolers, the lid seals the fluid inside the container, while in others the lid may partially seal the container but the fluid can knock the lid loose and escape if the container is tipped from upright. Fluid is dispensed through the use of a spigot or valve often located towards the bottom of the fluid holding area of the cooler. The spigot is generally a manually operated structure having a moveable valve. The valve is placed in a hole which extends through the outer structure of the portable water cooler connecting the hollow interior to the external world. When the valve is opened, the weight of the fluid in the portable water cooler forces fluid at the bottom of the cooler through the hole, where it is generally dispensed in a stream to a user generally holding a smaller beverage container thereunder.
Alternatively, smaller water coolers may include the spigot or valve in a different arrangement to allow a user to directly drink from the portable water cooler. These may include straws, spigots, or even just holes where fluid is allowed to flow from the hollow interior of the portable water cooler to the user. Some of these devices require the user to open them prior to drinking (generally to prevent spills), while others may place the hole on the top of the container so that the user has to tip the portable water cooler (generally into their mouth) to get the fluid out. In almost all cases, the fluid is dispensed under the force of gravity by simply allowing the fluid to pass through a hole in the outer structure of the portable water cooler when the fluid is being dispensed. The walls, base, and lid of the cooler are generally constructed of insulative materials (often various foamed resins) to provide that the temperature of the enclosed fluid is better maintained over time when that temperature is different from the ambient temperature.
While these portable water coolers have many beneficial uses, they also have clear disadvantages, including susceptibility to contamination from various sources. For instance, while the portable water cooler is being filled, dust or particulates may be introduced into the fluid as the fluid is added to the cooler. Further, in many coolers, the lid is not necessarily placed on the cooler when it is in use. If the cooler is undergoing particularly heavy use, the lid may be left off to allow rapid refilling. This can allow the introduction of foreign matter. Because the fluid is in direct contact with the sides of the portable water cooler, if the cooler is not regularly cleaned (which may not always be possible), buildup of contaminants can result in the growth of biofilms or other microorganisms which could potentially be toxic to those drinking the fluid.
When the coolers are used to dispense fluids, the inside surfaces of the cooler can become contaminated with particles of the fluid or items suspended in the fluid. An example of such contamination of the container occurs when a dissolved powdered soft drink mix is held within the container. Powdered soft drink mixes come in a variety of forms and under a variety of trade names but generally are designed to add concentrated flavoring and/or coloring to water to improve taste or appearance. Many soft drink mixes also include concentrated vitamins, minerals or other enhancers to improve the nutritional content of the soft drink mix as compared with plain water. Many soft drink mixes also include granulated sugar to improve taste. These soft drink mixes are added to water in which they dissolve or are suspended. When a soft drink and water mixture is placed in contact with the interior walls of the container these wall surfaces can adsorb fluid components. Due to such interaction between the fluid and the container or due to other causes, tastes and odors from the soft drink mix can permeate the fluid container. This contamination can cause a significant negative impact on the taste of beverages later dispensed from the container. In a specific instance a grape flavoring contaminating the portable fluid container can be partially transferred to later added ice tea, creating an unpleasant grape-tea combination.
Such container contamination can be particularly problematic when caused by beverages having a strong tastes and odors such as coffee. Sometimes, a strongly flavored beverage can so impregnate the container walls, that its scent or taste cannot be removed even with a thorough cleaning. This can prevent a portable fluid container from being reused with other flavors of fluids, and can even require the container's destruction if the flavor interference is too great for a particular use. Adsorption or other causes of contamination can also make the container unsanitary for future use regardless of flavor.
Another disadvantage of portable water coolers is related to their ability to maintain the desired temperature of the fluid held therein. Most portable water coolers utilize insulation as opposed to heating or cooling mechanisms to provide for lighter weight, decreased cost, and improved portability as there is no reliance on power sources. These can, however, have problems maintaining colder or hotter temperature fluids over time. For maintaining cold beverages, the insulative coolers capabilities are often supplemented by including ice in the fluid. The inclusion of ice, however, has various problems. If the fluid is flavored, either the ice must also be flavored (which can be a difficult and time consuming task to perform and can result in dispensing problems) or the flavor of the fluid will slowly be diluted by the ice which can produce an unpleasant tasting result. Some coolers have tried to avoid this issue by including separate ice holders or the like to separate the melting ice from the fluid. While these have limited success at cooling compared to the direct inclusion of ice, they also lead to a decrease in the amount of consumable fluid held in the device which requires larger and less manageable portable water coolers to be used for the same tasks.